Nothing says weekend mornings like a big stack of fluffy pancakes. When else can you get away with chocolate and whipped cream for breakfast? Although a morning staple, pancakes can be eaten any for any time of the day. New Jersey is home to many delicious and family-friendly pancake restaurants, with varieties that range from sweet, like chocolate chips and fruit, to savory, like bacon and cheddar cheese. With portions as big as your plate, you won't leave hungry, nor empty-handed. Pancake restaurants are often a road-trip destination for my family. From diners to specialty houses, here’s how New Jersey’s best pancake joints stack up:

We continue our month-long focus on Astoria, Queens with an in-depth look at its parks and playgrounds. Its namesake green space—the beautiful, 60-acre, waterfront Astoria Park—is unquestionably the neighborhood's crown jewel boasting NYC's largest outdoor public pool, a popular playground and great photo ops with the Hell Gate and RFK Bridges.

But there are other smaller Astoria parks and playgrounds worth checking out, too. Some even offer FREE summer programming and beloved annual family festivals. Here are 9 parks and playgrounds to explore in Astoria, Queens.

No matter what age, little girls love to have their hair, make-up and nails done — they get a thrill from a new coat of pink polish, braids in their hair and sparkles in their eye shadow. Throw in some fashion, cake, karaoke, and dancing and you will have a birthday party fit for your little diva. If this is the type of party that will put a twinkle in your little girl's eye, look no further because we have complied a list of some of the best places that will host a spa birthday party in Suffolk County. And for more inspiration, check out our Long Island Party Guide.

These days, the only things my daughter wants to talk about are spring break and Easter fun. But every NYC public school parent I know can't stop talking about all of the huge education-related things that have gone down this week, from the many protests against high-stakes testing throughout the city; to the New York State Education Department's decision to cancel its agreement to share students' private data with inBloom; to the NYC Department of Education amending its grade promotion policy for third to eighth graders so that passing the ELA and Math Assessments is no longer the main criteria for moving up. (That last one is still pending the approval of the Panel on Educational Policy.)

Clearly we public school families have a lot to digest, although I doubt we'll want to spend too much time on all that over spring break when there are so many awesome things to do. My daughter and I are planning a staycastion packed with museums, theater, egg decorating and leisurely afternoons in the park. But lots of our friends are hoping to get out of the city for a day trip or two. Awesome tri-state area getaways to consider include this weekend's annual Sheep-to-Shawl Festival at Philipsburg Manor in Westchester, laser tag fun on Long Island and New Jersey's iPlay America indoor amusement park and arcade. Checking our regional sites is always a great way to spark your destination inspiration.

Whatever you end up doing with your time off, we wish you and your family lots of memorable adventures! Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Ready for Spring Break? If you're planning a staycation, Westchester has lots of great events to choose from this weekend. We mentioned a few in our April Go List including the weekend long Sheep-to-Shawl festival and Disney Jr.'s Pirate & Princess Adventure. Of course, we can't forget the many Easter egg hunts happening all over town. 

Also on our monthly Go List is Opening Day at the Science Barge. Families can enjoy live music, crafts, science experiments and more. The Greenburgh Nature Center is hosting its Spring Celebration and Egg Hunt with a day of family fun to celebrate the emergence of spring. Meet the animals, make seasonal crafts, look for signs of spring and hunt for eggs.

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something that piques your interest, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond in Westchester. And don't forget to sign up for our FREE newsletter to get all our latest news and events sent right to your inbox!

We're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We don't mean to keep doing this to you, honest. But here we go again: There are just Too Many Things to Do. Good things. Excellent Things. More Things than One Family can possibly do in One Weekend. And you are going to have to choose.

The LA Times Festival of Books.  The Puppet Festival at the Skirball. One of the Getty Center's priceless Family Festivals. (This one's about Queen Victoria and Photography). There's the opening day of the Butterfly Pavilion. There's the opening day of the Snowy Day exhibit at the Skirball. There's the opening day of the Wyland Gallery at Sweet! (Whales! And chocolate!)

But that is not all; oh, no, that is not all. Easter is hopping into town with bunnies, bunnies, and bunnies. (Peter, Cottontail, and Easter). There are kites in the sky, singing in the rain, and talking drums. There are infinitely many choices, and all of them are must-see.

Keep reading for way too many things to do this weekend...

It's here! It's here! Spring has sprung and the weather has finally been cooperative for consecutive days. Take advantage by heading outdoors to any of the several Easter Egg Hunts taking place this weekend. Or stay inside for some magical live performances, including The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland Ballet or Seussical Jr.

Next week begins spring break for most schoolchildren on Long Island. If you're looking for camps or other program ideas, check out our Spring Break Camp Guide.

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